Tag Archives: defence

Bamako, Mali | AFP |  French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Mali on Sunday to consolidate Western backing for a regional anti-jihadist force, with France urging greater support for the Sahel region amid mounting insecurity. The so-called “G5 Sahel” countries just south of the Sahara — Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, …

Prague, Czech Republic | AFP |  Europe has to take care of its defence given the shift in US policy, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday, promoting a hefty defence fund announced by Brussels. “The protection of Europe can no longer be outsourced,” Juncker told a defence conference in …

Doha, Qatar | AFP |  US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis met Qatar’s emir Saturday during a visit to the oil-rich Gulf state, home to the largest US air base in the Middle East. The visit to Doha is part of a regional tour that has included stops in Saudi Arabia, …

Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP |  Israel is to take delivery of three more F-35 stealth fighters from the United States on Sunday, adding to two which arrived in December, an army statement said. They are among 50 that Israel has agreed to buy from aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. US President …

Kim oversees North Korea display of military strength Pyongyang, North Korea | AFP |  North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un Saturday saluted as ranks of goose-stepping soldiers followed by tanks and other military hardware paraded in Pyongyang for a show of strength with tensions mounting over his nuclear ambitions. After inspecting …

Beijing, China | AFP | China said Tuesday it would “resolutely” defend its security interests as the US began deploying the THAAD missile-defence system in South Korea that Beijing fears will undermine its own military capabilities. “We are firmly opposed to the deployment of THAAD in the Republic of Korea …

Manila, Philippines | AFP | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s fiery rhetoric and deadly crime war are becoming a growing concern around the world, the top US envoy for Asia warned on Monday in Manila. US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel met the Philippines’ …

  New Delhi, India | AFP | The less-than-supersonic sale of French Rafale fighter jets to India has highlighted the obstacles facing foreign arms firms seeking to do business with the world’s biggest weapons importer. India has signed a series of key defence deals under Prime Minister Narendra Modi as …

New Delhi, India | AFP | India signed a deal Friday to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets for 7.9 billion euros ($8.8 billion), France’s biggest ever such sale, as it seeks to bolster its military against an increasingly assertive China. Defence experts say the aircraft, manufactured by France’s Dassault, will …

President Yoweri Museveni has commissioned ultra modern air- defence systems for Uganda. Over 60 graduate troops were also commissioned to man them at a ceremony in Masindi at the weekend. At the ceremony, Museveni commended the army leadership for building independent capabilities on land, water and air. He hailed the army leadership for recruiting young graduates …